Nationwide protest campaign: PTI lawmakers step up efforts aimed at getting party founder released
The high-stakes meeting which will take place in Lahore will also chart the party's future political strategy. The delegation includes members of the National Assembly, Senate, and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly, signaling PTI's determination to consolidate its fragmented ranks.
'Our first meeting in Lahore will finalise the movement through to August 5,' KP Chief Minister and senior PTI figure Ali Amin Gandapur told reporters on departure – though he remained tight-lipped on the finer details.
Arrest warrants for 63 PTI workers issued
The timing is crucial: The meeting comes on the heels of last month's fiery clash in the Punjab Assembly. On June 27, PTI lawmakers vehemently protested during Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif's address, an uproar that prompted the assembly speaker to suspend 26 PTI members for 15 sessions – a move seen by PTI as a calculated political hit.
PTI leaders vowed the Lahore gathering would send a clear message of solidarity with the suspended lawmakers and lay the groundwork for an aggressive protest campaign.
'This is not a rally,' insisted Gohar Khan, acting PTI chairman, briefing the media before departure. 'We have summoned a parliamentary party meeting to finalise our future strategy.' He confirmed the Punjab government has been formally notified of the meeting.
Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja emphasised the party's unwavering resolve, asserting, 'The return of the sons of Imran Khan is their fundamental right, and they will return.'
Raja stressed the delegation's trip is strictly for strategic discussions, promising a swift return after meetings over the weekend. He highlighted the critical state of the nation's political and economic landscape and voiced concern over the perceived erosion of constitutional rights: 'Article 19 is our fundamental right, and this right has been taken away from us.'
The PTI, he said, is eager to reconnect with the public and 'listen to their issues' amid growing unrest.
This planned protest surge follows a bruising Supreme Court ruling last week, which upheld the Election Commission's controversial refusal to allot PTI reserved parliamentary seats for women and minorities – a blow directly tied to the party losing its electoral symbol ahead of the February 2024 general elections. Forced to run as independents, PTI-backed candidates won the most general seats but were denied the proportional reserved seats by the ECP, triggering fierce backlash.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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Since then, thousands of PTI workers have reportedly been arrested or charged as the party ramps up its opposition to the provincial government's policies. "PTI has now formally launched its protest movement," Bhachar declared. "Raids are underway across Punjab, and we are not afraid of these arrests. Our central leadership and parliamentary parties from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab are meeting in Lahore to finalise our course of action." Earlier, PTI lawmakers including both parliamentarians from Punjab as well as provincial assembly members converged in Islamabad to attend a meeting convened by CM Gandapur at the K-P House. Gandapur emphasized that the K-P's leadership intends to work with the opposition for political stability in the country. He reiterated the PTI's commitment to continue raising its voice within constitutional boundaries and on all available forums.
